Hydraulic lash adjusters (also sometimes referred to as “lifters”) for internal combustion engines have been in use for many years to eliminate clearance (or “lash”) between engine valve train components under varying operating conditions, in order to maintain efficiency and to reduce noise and wear in the valve train. Hydraulic lash adjusters regulate the transfer of energy from the valve actuating cam to the valves through hydraulic fluid trapped in a pressure chamber in the plunger. During each operation of the cam, as the length of the valve actuating components varies as a result of temperature changes and wear, small quantities of hydraulic fluid are permitted to enter the pressure chamber, or escape therefrom, thus effecting an adjustment in the length of the lash adjuster, and consequently adjusting the effective total length of the valve train. In certain applications, the overall length is adjusted by configuring the rocker arm of the valve train to pivot on the lash adjuster.
Lash adjusters often incorporate subassemblies of multiple components, including plungers. Minimizing the number of components in a subassembly reduces the amount of time and resources required to assemble the lash adjuster.